1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an actuator for restraint/release (R/R) devices, particularly for spacecrafts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The R/R devices are used in space applications to deploy large structures such as antenna reflectors, solar arrays, etc.; several kinds of actuators for these devices are known in the art and most of them are based on electric motors or magnetic devices.
These known actuators have several drawbacks especially related to their excessive mass and size which are very important parameters in space applications.
The known actuators have also shown poor performances when a relatively high force is required to actuate the R/R device.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a light weight and small actuator for R/R devices, particularly for space applications such as deployment mechanisms for antennas or other large structures.
Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a reliable actuator having a good performance over repeated operations.